Making a Gourd Birdhouse

It’s been a while since I’ve done anything with this space. Mainly I’ve stopped gardening now that I’ve moved to a rental duplex. While that normally wouldn’t stop me, the yard I have is completely shaded by elm trees, and mostly devoid of anything other than what most people would consider weeds. The trees are nice, but not much good for sun-loving vegetables.

I’ve poured a lot of energy into a few other outlets. Mainly, Capital Area Master Naturalist volunteer work, and raising Lukas – he’s almost three! – with a sense of wonder about the outdoors and nature.

I’ve been teaching him various specific Central Texas plants and birds. He can identify evergreen sumac, ashe juniper, twist-leaf yucca, prickly-pear cactus and oaks by sight. And he remembers the names without prompting! Pretty good for three years old!

I’ve taught him a few birds. He recognizes red-shouldered hawks, American crows and bewick’s wrens by sound, and turkey vultures by sight. The wrens have been easy – we have a few in the elms around the house, and they are singing a lot right now. Also, they fearlessly poke around the porch and eaves of the house looking for bugs and nesting spots. So today, we made a wren house out of a gourd I’ve had for a few years. It was thoroughly dried from hanging in a garage. I’m sure I got it from my parents, but I don’t know anything about what kind it is.

But I’ll let photos tell the story of how we made our birdhouse.

Cleaned off the mildew with fine sandpaper

Washed with 10% bleach water and drying

Tried to drill hole with 1.25″ paddle bit…

Luckily I had a second gourd. I drilled a pilot hole and used a round file to make a 1.25″ hole.

3 coats of urethane

Hung with a dowel rod and stiff wire to help prevent too much swaying in the breeze.

I helped make that birdie house, daddy!

It wasn’t even finished – the urethane was still drying – when a wren sat on top of it and poked its head inside. Such curious birds.

A wren just hatched out some eggs in my greenhouse. When the cold front comes, I’ll have to close things up, but I’ll try to get things opened again as quickly as possible. I think a gourd would have been a better choice for a nest. I’ll let her know yours is available for next time.